Government Affairs at the NCA

Coffee is an integral part of the U.S. economy and culture.

Coffee is a lot of things: an agricultural import, publicly traded commodity, raw ingredient, roasted retail product, and popular beverage. Each bean follows a long and complicated path from seed to cup, and can encounter a surprising amount of scrutiny along the way.

As the chief advocate for the U.S. coffee industry, the NCA works with a number of U.S. and international government agencies that are connected to coffee commerce and consumption. We also collaborate with a range of organizations from across the supply chain.

Together, we're working towards towards fair, responsible solutions to the problems we share.

Because the regulatory issues addressed by NCA are more than acronym-laced legalese. They impact the entire coffee industry, which represents more than 1,694,710 jobs in the United States alone (according to our 2016 Economic Impact of the Coffee Industry study).

Depending on what's needed, the NCA may flag potential problems, identify and protect industry priorities, provide specialized expertise, or lead communications campaigns. Often these issues are ongoing, and can come with unexpected ramifications if not monitored closely. These include:

WHO/ IARC Coffee and Cancer Declassification

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)

U.S. Dietary Guidelines

Safe Food for Canadians Act

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Caffeine Opinion

Nutritional Fact Panel

For more information, please see our past official comment letters, visit the NCA newsroom, or follow us on social media.

Stay informed with the NCA

One benefit of NCA membership is staying up-to-date on industry issues.

Not only are we working behind the scenes, we're making sure that you have the information you need to prepare for what's next and make more strategic decisions.

Our NCA Member Alerts give members coffee-specific analysis on issues as they unfold. The Coffee Reporter Weekly provides an overview of the industry. (If you are an NCA member and don't receive these emails, please contact us and we'll be happy to help!)

Feedback from our members shapes NCA priorities and strategy, providing important perspective on the business impact in the field. We welcome questions and encourage members to get involved — we’re here to represent you.